Cost of Living in Tulsa, OK (2026)

Tulsa's cost of living is 11% below the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $112,090 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Tulsa has a cost-of-living index of 89 against a US average of 100 — about 11% below average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $112,090 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Tulsa

MeasureTulsaUS average
Cost-of-living index89100
Median rent$998/mo-
Median home value$189,600-
Median household income$58,407-
Population412,322-

Monthly cost breakdown in Tulsa

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$998$1,101
Transport$712$712
Food$560$560
Healthcare$352$352
Other$1,251$1,251
Total$3,873$3,976

Affordability in Tulsa

Median rent takes about 20.5% of the median household income in Tulsa — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 3.2x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Tulsa

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$148,550$166,510
Software Developer$103,480$115,991
Mechanical Engineer$99,670$111,720
Physical Therapist$92,260$103,414
Data Scientist$84,450$94,660
Financial Analyst$80,020$89,694
Registered Nurse$79,060$88,618
Accountant$78,490$87,979

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Tulsa’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

Compare Tulsa with another city

What would your salary be worth in Tulsa?

What you earn (or want to compare)

Frequently asked questions

Tulsa has a cost-of-living index of 89 against a US average of 100, so it is about 11% below the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Tulsa has roughly the purchasing power of $112,090 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Tulsa's median rent of $998/month that implies about $39,920 a year before tax. The median household in Tulsa earns $58,407.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $3,873 a month in Tulsa across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $3,976 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Tulsa costs $189,600, which is 3.2x the median household income of $58,407. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Tulsa is manageable but tight.